Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Ingredients

• 500 g Boneless chicken (up to 600 grams; cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 tsp lemon juice (for marinade)
• 0.25 tsp salt (for marinade; plus more to taste)
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (crushed or powder, for marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (for marinade)
• 2 tbsp oil (for frying the sauce base)
• 100 g onions (fine chopped, about 1 medium)
• 0.5 tbsp ginger (grated or paste, about 1 inch piece)
• 0.5 tbsp garlic (grated or paste, about 4-5 medium cloves)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (for the sauce)
• 0.75 tsp garam masala (up to 1 tsp)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (up to 1.5 tsp)
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder
• 0.5 tsp fennel powder (optional)
• 0.25 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sugar (use especially if using store-bought passata)
• 0.75 cup tomato puree (passata or 1.25 cups fresh tomatoes pureed)
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 0.25 cup hot water (only if needed for consistency)
• 1 tbsp ghee (up to 2 tbsp, or oil for stir-frying veggies)
• 1 dried red chilli (optional)
• 1 green chilli (deseeded and slit)
• 1 inch ginger juliennes (optional)
• 45 g onions (diced, layers separated, about 1 small)
• 135 g bell pepper (diced - mixed colors (green, red, yellow, orange))
• 1 tbsp soya sauce (optional; or tamari or 0.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce)
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (fine chopped, optional garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, combine the boneless chicken with 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Prepare the vegetables: Fine chop one medium onion for the sauce. Dice the bell peppers and the other small onion into large chunks, separating the layers of the onion. Slit and deseed the green chili. If using fresh tomatoes, puree them in a grinder to yield about 1 1/4 cups.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown.

4. 4

   Lower the heat and stir in the grated ginger and garlic. Saute for about a minute until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the marinated chicken to the pan. Stir-fry on medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken turns pale and is no longer pink on the outside.

6. 6

   Stir in the spices: 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 3/4 to 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 to 1.5 teaspoons coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fennel powder (if using).

7. 7

   Pour in the tomato puree. Mix well and cook until the oil begins to separate from the masala base.

8. 8

   Pour in 1/4 cup hot water and mix. Cover and cook on medium heat until the chicken is tender. Note: If the chicken has released a lot of its own moisture, you may skip adding the water.

9. 9

   While the chicken cooks, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a separate pan. Add the dried red chili, slit green chili, and ginger juliennes. When they begin to sizzle, add the diced bell peppers and onions.

10. 10

    Stir-fry the vegetables on medium-high heat for 2 to 4 minutes until they are slightly tender but still retain a distinct crunch.

11. 11

    Once the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened, add 1 tablespoon kasuri methi and 1 teaspoon sugar to the chicken pan. If there is still too much liquid, increase the heat to evaporate it until the sauce is thick.

12. 12

    Add the stir-fried vegetables (along with any leftover ghee/oil from their pan) to the chicken. If desired, add 1 tablespoon of soya sauce or Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor.

13. 13

    Stir everything together and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

14. 14

    Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan, rice, or roti.

Notes

If using store-bought tomato puree (passata), the sugar is highly recommended to balance the acidity. For a 'fancy' restaurant flavor, the addition of soya sauce or Worcestershire sauce is suggested. Do not overcook the bell peppers; they should remain crunchy. If using leftover cooked chicken, add it at the stage where the tomato puree has cooked down and the oil has separated.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• Indian
• chicken
• stir-fry
• restaurant style
• spicy
• dinner